The restraint of tissues and organs during surgical procedures allows for access and/or visualization of the target tissues and organs that are the focus of the surgical procedures. Although rigid retraction devices and apparatus may be used in some surgical procedures, e.g., the BOOKWALTER retractor system, such retractors may be the source of damage to retracted tissues and/or organs. The potential damage is significant because, for example, there are approximately 1.4 million open abdominal surgeries every year in the United States. About 8.5% of those surgeries lead to ileus, which is a cessation of bowel function. Ileus results in nausea, vomiting, bloating, pain, extended hospital stays, and $1.46 billion increased cost for common abdominal procedures. Additionally, peritoneal adhesions can be found in up to 93% of patients undergoing intra-abdominal surgery.
Attempts to provide malleable or shapeable pads that can be used to restrain tissues and/or organs during surgical procedures are described in, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0087713. The approaches described in that document do not, however, fully appreciate the issues or solve the problems associated with tissues/organ restraint during surgical procedures.